An unknown number of insurgents ambushed a combined patrol with small-arms fire. After troops gained positive identification on the enemy fighters' location, they launched mortar fire and requested support from an air weapons team, which killed the insurgents.

In other operations yesterday throughout Afghanistan:

-- Afghan and coalition forces detained a Haqqani terrorist network weapons trafficker and several other suspected insurgents in Khost province's Terayzai district. The Haqqani terrorist is responsible for trafficking homemade bombs and other weapons to insurgents operating in Terayzai.

-- Security forces detained several suspected insurgents in Helmand province's Garm Ser district while searching for a Taliban leader.

-- In Paktika province's Yahya Khel district, Afghan and coalition forces detained several suspected insurgents while searching for a Taliban leader. The Taliban leader is responsible for gathering intelligence information on local security forces to plan future attacks on them.

-- Afghan and coalition forces detained a Taliban leader in Wardak province. He is a known bomb maker who operated in the province's Sayyidabad district and targeted local security forces. He was detained without incident.

In Feb. 7 operations:

-- Security forces killed several insurgents, including a terrorist leader, in Helmand province's Nad-e Ali district. Troops were searching for Haji Bahaar, an insurgent responsible for leading numerous attacks against security forces. Tips from local residents led security forces to a location where Bahaar was believed to be, where troops were immediately met by enemy small-arms fire. Troops returned fire, killing the insurgents.

-- In Helmand's Kajaki district, security forces killed two Taliban leaders. Tips from local residents led security forces to their location. As several people came out of the targeted building peacefully at the request of Afghan soldiers, troops spotted an enemy fighter aiming a rifle at them from the building and killed him. The other Taliban leader was killed after charging at the troops with a loaded rifle.

-- Security forces found a weapons cache in Helmand's Nad-e Ali district and seized more than 40 assorted artillery rounds, seven anti-tank mines and various bomb-making materials.